The NBA draft is Thursday and while all the attention is (rightfully) focused on Victor Wembanyama, the generational talent from France, we’re interested in others. Specifically, we’re curious about sleepers.
It’s easy to make predictions about lottery picks and what they will bring to a team in the immediate future. But there’s nothing like drafting a guy most people have either not heard of or already have been written off, and having that guy become a superstar.
We’re not saying any of the guys below are the next Nikola Jokic − the newly minted NBA champ and two-time MVP was drafted in the second round, No. 41 overall, in 2014 − but we’re also not not saying that, if you catch our drift.
Six sleeper picks for the 2023 NBA draft:
Bilal Coulibaly
6-foot-8 forward, France, 18 years old
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Best known as Wembanyama’s teammate with the Metropolitans 92, Coulibaly is moving up draft boards as NBA scouts fall hard for his athleticism and 7-foot-2 wingspan. Though his 2022-23 stats aren’t anything to write home about − 5.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists − Coulibaly’s long, bouncy frame makes him the ideal 3-and-D prospect, and he’s known for making some spectacular above-the-rim plays. He didn’t make it to the draft combine because his team was in the playoffs overseas, so NBA scouts didn’t get to closely examine his shot: though he made 45% of his three-pointers last season, he only took one long-distance attempt per game, and the thinking is he’ll need to quicken his release in order to get his shot off at the next level.
Gregory ‘GG’ Jackson
6-foot-9 forward, South Carolina, 18 years old
Jackson might be the most intriguing prospect in this year’s draft class. The top player in the 2023 recruiting class according to 247 Sports, Jackson reclassified last July to become a college freshman and join the class of 2022 at South Carolina. In Columbia he started 29 of 32 games and averaged 15.4 points and 5.9 rebounds. He has a big, athletic frame and a 7-foot wingspan. But there are major questions about his maturity (he won’t turn 19 until December). His shot selection and efficiency leave much to be desired, and it was clear sometimes last season that he had no idea what he was doing. He’s the epitome of high risk, high reward.
James Nnaji
6-foot-11 center, Nigeria, 18 years old
A potential late first-rounder or early sound-rounder, Nnaji played in Spain last season. Though he averaged only six minutes a game during the EuroLeague season, NBA scouts are intrigued by his 7-foot-5 wingspan and potential. Nnaji didn’t start playing basketball until 2016, and moved to Hungary to train at an academy after some of his highlights went viral. He’s raw, to say the least. But his stats hint at potential domination if he can get in the regular rotation: In just 8.7 minutes per game last season, Nnaji averaged 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 blocks. That breaks down to a block about every seven minutes, which is a stat any NBA team would love.
Brice Sensabaugh
6-foot-6 forward, Ohio State, 19 years old
A likely late first-rounder, Sensabaugh is a versatile scorer who has been praised as one of the more skilled prospects in this year’s draft class. As a freshman for the Buckeyes last season he led the team in scoring (16.3 points) and second in rebounding (5.4). He was the nation’s third-leading scorer among all freshmen, and connected on 40.5% of his 3-point attempts, making a team-high 60. Though he’s shaky as a defender and slightly undersized, scouts like Sensabaugh because of his strength: He excels at finishing through contact and can use his strong frame to can create space for his shot.
Ben Sheppard
6-foot-6 guard, Belmont, 21 years old
Everyone wants a knock-down shooter, and Sheppard just might be the best pure shooter in this year’s draft. Though his thin frame − he’s only 190 pounds − could scare off some teams, his ability to connect from deep will intrigue others. Sheppard shot 41.5% from 3 and 47.5% from the field overall, averaging 18.8 points for Belmont. He also has improved tremendously as a passer, nearly doubling his assists per game from his junior to senior year (1.6 to 2.9). If he’s drafted, it likely will be late in the second round. He needs to bulk up, but he could be a steal.
Dariq Whitehead
6-foot-7 guard/forward, Duke, 18 years old
What could have been if he hadn’t been injured: A former top five recruit from Newark, Whitehead broke his right foot during August practice and missed the first couple weeks of the season. That injury never healed quite right, and Whitehead needed a second surgery on it earlier this month. In January, he missed time after a lower left leg injury. All of this resulted in some underwhelming stats from his freshman year: 8.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in just 20.6 minutes per game (he only played in 28 contests, starting seven). But he shot 42.9% from long-distance, and was long considered an elite shooter in his class. Bottom line, he has the talent of a lottery pick tons of upside — if he can stay healthy.
Follow Lindsay Schnell on Twitter at @Lindsay_Schnell
